


Only The Finest

by Nevanna



Category: Tortall - Tamora Pierce
Genre: Age Difference, Dysfunctional Relationships, Implied/Referenced Abuse, M/M, Power Imbalance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-02
Updated: 2018-10-02
Packaged: 2019-07-23 20:06:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 185
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16166042
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nevanna/pseuds/Nevanna
Summary: Alex receives a fitting gift for his eighteenth birthday.





	Only The Finest

“Happy birthday, Alex.”

Alex opens the box in his lap to reveal a pair of exquisitely worked black gauntlets. “Thank you, sir.”

Roger flashes a grin. “Lift your hands, and we shall see how they look.”

Before this night, Roger has worked his mouth over the frantically rising pulse in each of his squire’s wrists, and clasped them together in one strong hand as the two of them moved against one another in bed. A week ago, Alex clenched his teeth against a cry of alarm as Roger gave one arm a vicious yank to keep him from fleeing the room, clouding his skin with bruises and the next few nights with uneasy dreams. As Roger laces the gauntlets tightly but not painfully, his touch is gentle enough to smooth the edges of that memory. 

When he turns his wrists this way and that, Alex feels how sturdy the material is, how flexible, how… “Perfect,” he whispers.

“The loyalty of my finest swordsman deserves the finest reward.” Roger strokes Alex’s knuckles with his thumbs. “I’ve never given you anything that you haven’t deserved. Remember that.”


End file.
